I've seen people crash in textile at moderate speed. No thanks. Don't hold up all that well.

Mesh? Forget about it. My sister is an ER nurse and has told tools me of people crashing at highway speeds. The mesh can heat up and melt to person's skin, which is just as bad, if not worse than road rash.

A good perforated leather lets a ton of air through the jacket, and flows just about as good as a textile, with waaaaaay more protection.

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-Chad

"Logically, any motorcyclist can do 60* of lean. The trick is coming back up again." - Neal Spalding

Mesh and textile are kind of the same thing... the difference is in the weave. Obviously, mesh is textile, just woven very loosely to permit air to travel. Normal ballistic textile is airtight.

A full textile jacket is great for the rain and cold. They are often waterproofed completely, and textile does not transfer the cold from the wind to your body like leather will (as leather is essentially skin). I had a Cortech GX Sport jacket that was fantastic for Florida rain and winters, but awful for warm weather even with all the vents open.

ICON makes some of the most impressive mesh I've seen. It's a lot more dense than most mesh jackets but still flows air. The best mesh jackets restrict the mesh areas to panels on the front where there is little chance at impact. Dainese, Rev'It, etc. make good technical wear that does not sacrifice safety.

Mesh melting in a crash is based on some rather old and specific incidences; mesh today is often (but not always; check with the maker) made out of a different blend of nylon/cordura that will not burn with friction. Crashes on the street rarely permit you to slide fast and far enough to generate those conditions anyways.

A well made textile or textile/mesh jacket can provide reasonable protection, so stick with the bigger names when it comes to that.

I've seen people crash in textile at moderate speed. No thanks. Don't hold up all that well.

Mesh? Forget about it. My sister is an ER nurse and has told tools me of people crashing at highway speeds. The mesh can heat up and melt to person's skin, which is just as bad, if not worse than road rash.

A good perforated leather lets a ton of air through the jacket, and flows just about as good as a textile, with waaaaaay more protection.

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I noticed you live in Michigan.

While I definitely believe one should "dress for the crash", you try wearing any type of leather in a Florida July and then we'll talk.

Hell, its almost November, I have a half textile half leather jacket and I'm still dying.

There are probably 10's of thousands of riders who have crashed wearing quality textile gear and come out of it fine. The key is that it should be quality stuff not the $30 special off the bargain rack. The thing to understand is that anything but leather should be considered a one-crash and toss kind of thing. People get hung up because they see a jacket torn up after a crash and think the rider must have been torn up too. The good stuff has high quality armor in the right places and in a typical street crash you are going to be protected even if the outer shell wears through or tears a bit. If you plan to crash a lot then leather for sure since it can often take multiple crashes - actually hanging up the keys is probably a better idea. If you're riding really fast then again, leather is going to hold up better.

My bad weather gear is from Olympia. Armor in the right places, mesh panels for the heat, waterproof liner for rain and a quilted liner for cold. It's taken me through everything from 100 degree AZ desert to 25 degree freezing rain and snow in Yellowstone (but any long rides under about 35 will get rough without an extra layer).

i have this jacket http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/a...p-r-air-jacket... and even with the liner taken out in the summer at stoplights its warm but for cool weather is great.. i went riding today in 40 deree weather and even at highway speeds felt no wind transfer... the chest and back protection that comes with it is a joke but the jacket over all is great....

There are probably 10's of thousands of riders who have crashed wearing quality textile gear and come out of it fine. The key is that it should be quality stuff not the $30 special off the bargain rack. The thing to understand is that anything but leather should be considered a one-crash and toss kind of thing. People get hung up because they see a jacket torn up after a crash and think the rider must have been torn up too. The good stuff has high quality armor in the right places and in a typical street crash you are going to be protected even if the outer shell wears through or tears a bit. If you plan to crash a lot then leather for sure since it can often take multiple crashes - actually hanging up the keys is probably a better idea. If you're riding really fast then again, leather is going to hold up better.

My bad weather gear is from Olympia. Armor in the right places, mesh panels for the heat, waterproof liner for rain and a quilted liner for cold. It's taken me through everything from 100 degree AZ desert to 25 degree freezing rain and snow in Yellowstone (but any long rides under about 35 will get rough without an extra layer).

^THIS

I use to wear leather back in Houston, though being that I taught almost every weekend and it rains often there, I transitioned to Text/Mesh jacket which worked out perfectly. Only time I really miss leather is when I act like a hooligan or it's cold out. Otherwise heated gear and no behaving like a jackass, I'd be fine.

As a test rider, we were supplied loads of gear and found that most of us used our mesh/text gear more often than anything else. Text w/ liners and heated vest when it was cold out. Full leathers for the high speed stuff, regardless of temps. We had many go down on various tracks wearing mesh, which held up just fine. These arguments always make me smile as you have the defenders of leather vs the defenders mesh/textile.

Adventure riders tend to wear textile a lot, so let that sink in a bit.

More importantly, which I believed was already said above, make sure it is quality stuff, good CE armor or purchase good armor.

Leather jacket for riding because I'm on the interstate most of the time. I've worn it from 105 to 40 degree (without a liner). It does suck sweating, but I've rather do that then go down at 80mph in a mesh jacket. After one get off the jacket looks like someone scuff the shoulder. No tears or or holes in the jacket. Thats what I'm sticking with from now on out.

I don't care how much gear I'm wearing even if it's in the 90's here with high humidity, the humidity is what is the uncomfortable part sometimes in my opinion. (doesn't get much hotter anyways). I have different types of motorcycle jackets, I prefer leather, but have just jackets that are a mix of all types of materials. I've crashed in alpinestars textile jackets I can say they hold up extremely well, even cosmetically. I have a three way liner water proof leather/textile jacket that I use quite often, it's all black and has more armor than any jacket I've ever seen, got it on leather up a few years ago. I think if you crashed before, you get a good understanding about the armor and spots that are brushed up the most. Shoulders, back, tailbone, elbows, wrist area. All of which are leather on my main motorcycle jacket. If I'm spending time out riding for a day or so, the one piece gives me excellent piece of mind, as it is quite cozy in the riding position when you're body isn't being forced to hunch forward. I don't understand textile one piece suits though, I probably wouldn't ever get one myself.

Thing about the textile race suits is that I don't know of any tracks that allow them, and they aren't known to hold up as well as leather after slides. Leather is still one of the best abrasion resistant and long lasting materials today. Ultimately, anything is better than nothing though, each have their own benefits as well. I already know that certain textile materials are better than certain types leather, so really I believe it depends on the specific purpose built materials used. Comparing apples to apples. I have yet to see the same mesh/textile, or leather fabric on any of my jackets, They are all different in some way.

I have an Icon Contra jacket which seems to be pretty decent textile jacket. It's made of 7 different textile materials including ballistic nylon and it's got all the armor. No experience with crashing but it definitely seams like it would do the job, at least once but it's still too hot for those 100F+ days

Eventually i'll be buying a leather jacket as well because i like the looks as well as extra protection but i don't think i'll ever wear it during Summer months here. I salute any rider that can do that but i can't. I almost got a fuckin heat stroke once - no thank you.

If you live in Kuwait you should at least consider something like this:

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but at least you'll have protection with minimal chances of a heat stroke.

I have an Icon Contra jacket which seems to be pretty decent textile jacket. It's made of 7 different textile materials including ballistic nylon and it's got all the armor. No experience with crashing but it definitely seams like it would do the job, at least once but it's still too hot for those 100F+ days

Eventually i'll be buying a leather jacket as well because i like the looks as well as extra protection but i don't think i'll ever wear it during Summer months here. I salute any rider that can do that but i can't. I almost got a fuckin heat stroke once - no thank you.

If you live in Kuwait you should at least consider something like this:

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but at least you'll have protection with minimal chances of a heat stroke.

Hell I would buy this just for the aesthetics! The thing is I have a slightly perforated leather jacket which is awesome but in the summer will probably kill me, I havent tried it yet. I was looking for something textile and waterproof to wear on rain-suspected days and extremely hot days. Is this jacket waterproof by any chance?

Unfortunately, such a combo kind of doesn't exist. To keep water out, the garment needs to be watertight, and thus it will not pass air through. Reminds me of days in central florida, with rain coming down when it was in the 90s/30s outside.

Some rain stuff seems to have 'breathable' in the description now, so maybe they figured out a way to at least let trapped body heat escape.

If u can afford it, i suggest getting them all and mix it up as u see fit for the weather ur having. That's what i do and it's worked out for me. It's good to have choices when it comes to riding cuz what's the fun in riding if ur dying inside of heatstroke or frostbite. And quality mesh and textile gears does indeed do the job they were made for, the keyword is QUALITY. Don't be a cheapskate when it comes to gear. My life isn't cheap by any means. Just my .02 hope this helps.

Unfortunately, such a combo kind of doesn't exist. To keep water out, the garment needs to be watertight, and thus it will not pass air through. Reminds me of days in central florida, with rain coming down when it was in the 90s/30s outside.

Some rain stuff seems to have 'breathable' in the description now, so maybe they figured out a way to at least let trapped body heat escape.

Sucks huh..

That said, most quality mesh comes with removable liners these days. Take my Dri Rider for example. Although it's got nothing on my Dainese (**** compared to the level of protection leather provides), it is great for the rain/cold as you can swap in/out the rain proof or thermal liners.

That said, imo get yourself some leather and if it rains, throw over a rain poncho :P